Draft gear assemblies which utilize friction-type clutch mechanisms to absorb heat energy generated during service have been in widespread use in the railroad industry for many years to absorb both buff and draft shocks applied to the railway rolling stock. Many of such draft gear assemblies which were in use, prior to the present invention, are taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,916,163; 3,178,036; 3,447,693; and 4,645,187. Each of the above-identified patents is owned by the assignee of the present invention. The teachings of each of these patents are all incorporated into the present application by reference thereto.
These draft gear assemblies are designed to receive coupler forces and dissipate them without damage to the car structure and lading. The assemblies are disposed within an elongated opening located in the center sill member of the railway car along the longitudinal axis thereof and behind the shank, or innermost end, of the railway car's coupling mechanism. In this position, these friction clutch type draft gear assemblies will absorb at least a relatively large portion of both the buff and draft forces generated during service. Such buff and draft forces encountered by such railway cars are usually being applied in an alternating manner to the center sill member during normal car operation on the track.
It is well recognized in the art that these draft gear assemblies must be provided with the capability of maintaining at least a certain minimum shock absorbing capacity both during making up a train consist and in-track service. Such minimum capacity has been specified by the Association of American Railroads (AAR) and is defined in the standards issued by the AAR. For example, friction clutch type draft gear assemblies have a specified absolute minimum capacity rating of at least 36,000 foot pounds. Any draft gear assembly with a capacity rating which is determined to be below 36,000 pounds will not receive approval from the AAR for service on any railroad car which may be used in interchange.
It is, likewise, important to note that the heat energy absorbing action of the friction clutch mechanism must enable this minimum capacity rating to be readily achieved without exceeding a specified maximum 500,000-pound reaction force, or pressure, being exerted on the center sill member of the railway car during both such make-up and operation of such train consist. It has been found that such maximum reaction pressure is required to enable these high energy shocks to be readily absorbed without upsetting the end of the coupling member shank and/or damaging other critical car components and/or lading that is being transported by such railway car.
In order for the manufacturers of such friction clutch type draft gear assemblies to meet the requirements of the railroad industry, with the ever-increasing load carrying capacity of their modern day railroad cars, it has become of extreme importance to enhance the overall rated capacity of the friction-type draft gear assemblies as much as possible. This higher capacity rating being found necessary in order to minimize any damage to such cars and/or the lading due to the increased forces being exerted on the center sill member of the cars by the heavier loads such cars are now carrying.